Cyndi H. Matthews; Friday, June 24, 2022; 12:00 PM-12:50 PM
As therapists/counselors, we sometimes assume we know what clients/patients want and need from therapy, especially after leaving and recovering from being in a cult or high demand organization. However, two recent surveys of 414 Second Generation Adult Cult survivors (2019) and 112 counselors/therapists who work with former cult members (2019) showed us this may not be the case that we know what is best for our clients. These research surveys specifically pointed out that clients want to cover different topics/areas than what counselors/therapists want to cover in therapy. This information session will cover not only what SGA clients want from therapy, but also give specific and realistic activities/resources that are helpful in discussing and working through these topics in therapy. The information presented will be based on actual data from 414 SGA individuals who have been clients and their lived experiences from being in therapy.
Cyndi H. Matthews
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Associate Professor of Counseling
Cyndi Matthews, PhD, LPC-S, NCC is an experienced Counseling Clinician (17 yrs) working in Private Practice and as an Associate Professor in the counseling program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has earned a PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education, a Masters in Counseling, and a Master’s in Business – Organizational Behavior. Her passion for social justice and advocacy is exemplified in her counseling practice and current research, both of which focus on effective counseling interventions for marginalized populations, such as cult survivors, domestic violence survivors, and LGBTQ+ populations. Based on her scholarship and clinical expertise she has researched and developed theory for counseling with former second and multiple-generation adult cult recovery survivors. Email: cyndersm@verizon.net Phone: (469) 316-7290